Protect Scotland’s NHS from Sir Keir Starmer’s privatisation plans

The real story behind the Labour’s manifesto is not the measly amount the party is offering but what it is deliberately failing to rule out.

At the Labour manifesto launch, Keir Starmer not only failed to come clean about his plans for £18 billion of further Westminster spending cuts but he failed to rule out creeping NHS privatisation.

He had the opportunity to use the manifesto launch to back the SNP’s Bill which would protect the fundamental principles of the NHS.

The SNP has committed to bring forward a new Bill in the House of Commons in the first 100 days of the parliamentary term to bind the hands of the Westminster government and ensure that the NHS is fully protected as publicly owned, publicly operated and with its services publicly commissioned.

The Bill will also prevent any Westminster government from undermining the principles and protections of the NHS as part of any future trade deals.

But Labour not only failed to support this in their manifesto, they have even attacked the SNP for wanting to legally protect the NHS from creeping privatisation.

Their manifesto didn’t even include the term “the NHS is not for sale“, despite the phrase appearing in their pre-manifesto offer.

As numerous reports show, Labour’s shadow health spokesperson Wes Streeting represents a clear and present danger to Scotland’s NHS:

• Streeting warns NHS there’ll be no additional funding without ‘major surgery’ under Labour – The Sun, 7 April 2024
• Labour would ‘hold the door open’ for private sector in NHS, says Wes Streeting – The i, 17 November 2023
• Labour’s commitment to NHS questioned as Streeting takes cash from private health investor – Express, 20 June 2023
•  – Guardian Letters, 25 January 2023
• Investors eye opportunities in Labour pledge to boost private health sector – FT, 20 February 2024

It’s no wonder that Anas Sarwar finds himself having to defend Wes Streeting from criticisms by Labour’s own activists.

This enthusiasm for more private involvement in the NHS will rightly worry every voter in Scotland who values our NHS.

The SNP’s Bill to keep the NHS in public hands would be our health service’s immunity to Westminster’s creeping privatisation – and if Keir Starmer was not intending on pursuing a privatisation agenda, he should have made it clear that he supports us.

The fact he didn’t speaks volumes.

The truth is that the Labour Party have been so obsessed with courting Conservative voters in England, that they’ve ended up writing a Tory manifesto.

The SNP will always put Scotland’s values first – and nothing could be more important than ensuring our NHS is always kept in public hands.

Only a vote for the SNP on the 4th of July will send Keir Starmer the message that Scotland’s NHS is not for sale.